Some data processing systems comprise trace data generators that monitor the data processing operations taking place on a data processing apparatus and generate a trace data stream indicative of the monitored data processing operations. A trace data stream may, for example, indicate which instructions are being executed, and/or which data values are being manipulated and/or data values being read or written to particular memory locations.
The trace data stream may be output (possibly after on-chip storage) to a trace data analyzer. The analyzer may, for example, be a software diagnostic tool that assists a hardware designer or a programmer in debugging the data processing system.
System-on-chip (SoC) designs may be used for data processing systems that comprise multiple different data processing elements, each performing its own data processing operations in communication with other data processing elements. For example an integrated circuit (IC) may comprise one or more processor cores, a digital signal processor and a memory system. Each of these data processing elements may have its own trace data stream.
It may be desirable in data processing systems comprising a plurality of trace data sources to generate a combined data stream comprising trace data from one or more trace data sources.